South Africa Urged to Act as Five Initiates Die Early in 2025/26 Season

Hlabisa cautioned that failure to heed early warning signs could allow the situation to escalate into a national crisis, putting more young lives at risk.

The Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA), Velenkosini Hlabisa, has issued a stern warning as the 2025/26 summer initiation season begins under a dark cloud, following the deaths of five young initiates in the Eastern Cape. The season, which runs from late November to the end of January 2026, has already seen hundreds of boys enter initiation schools with hopes of returning home transformed, strengthened, and ready to embrace the responsibilities of manhood.

Yet, even before the season reaches its peak, these preventable tragedies have cast a shadow over one of South Africa’s most significant cultural rites of passage. According to the department, the deaths — one in Buffalo City Municipality, two in the Chris Hani District, and two in OR Tambo District — serve as a painful reminder of persistent risks, despite the existence of the Customary Initiation Act and repeated government calls for compliance.

The department stressed that South Africa cannot afford complacency. Hlabisa cautioned that failure to heed early warning signs could allow the situation to escalate into a national crisis, putting more young lives at risk.

Crackdown on Illegal Initiation Schools

Illegal initiation schools remain at the heart of many of these tragedies. Minister Hlabisa described such operations as criminal, unsafe, and potentially lethal, warning unregistered practitioners to cease immediately. Authorities in the Eastern Cape have already made 21 arrests linked to illegal activities — a development the Minister praised but said must be intensified across all affected provinces.

Government has reiterated that the preservation of culture can never justify the endangerment of young lives. Any school operating outside the legal framework not only violates the law but betrays the communities it claims to serve.

Call for Parental and Community Vigilance

Hlabisa appealed directly to parents, caregivers, and community members to strengthen their involvement and oversight. He emphasised that initiation is not merely a cultural ceremony but a collective responsibility requiring active participation, consistent monitoring, and cooperation across households.

Special attention was directed at households without male guardians, with the Minister urging communities to ensure that these families receive the necessary support to keep initiates safe throughout the season. Previous years have shown that lack of supervision often contributes to medical complications, dehydration, abuse, and delayed emergency responses.

Strengthening Oversight and Rapid Intervention

To prevent a repeat of the tragedies seen in past seasons, Hlabisa has called on the National Initiation Oversight Committee (NIOC) and Provincial Initiation Oversight Committees (PIOC) to intensify their coordination, monitoring, and rapid response.

Government envisions comprehensive, multi-sectoral teams — including representatives from municipalities, the Departments of Health, Education, and Social Development, SAPS, traditional leaders, and NGOs — to conduct site visits, respond to alerts, and intervene swiftly when risks emerge.

Surprise inspections will be prioritised in high-risk areas, particularly where illegal schools are suspected or where previous fatalities have occurred. The Minister stressed that negligence or slow action would not be tolerated, as every initiate’s safety is a matter of national importance.

Preventing Another Tragic Season

Hlabisa reaffirmed that South Africa cannot allow another season defined by loss. Each initiate, he said, must be guaranteed a safe return home — honoured, intact, and ready to embrace adulthood.

“Our children’s lives are priceless. We cannot claim to uphold culture while allowing preventable tragedies to occur,” he said, adding that he would visit affected provinces where necessary to strengthen local interventions.

With government, families, communities, and traditional structures urged to work in unity, the overriding message is clear: the cultural significance of initiation must never overshadow the responsibility to protect the young men undergoing this sacred journey.